Send me email updates about messages I've received on the site and the latest news from The CafeMom Team.
By signing up, you certify that you are female and accept the Terms of Service and have read the
Privacy Policy.

KGO-TV reported Sunday that Jahi McMath’s family is demanding Oakland Children’s Hospital conduct an investigation after she went into cardiac arrest and died, before being brought back by hospital staff. Jahi is brain dead and on life support.

Doctors said the surgery would help with Jahi’s sleep apnea, but there were complications during her recovery last week. Her mother Nailah Winkfield said Jahi had “actual clots” sliding out of her mouth, which her mother was told to catch in a cup for hospital staff to measure.

“She smiled when she walked in this hospital and I told her this surgery is to make you better,” Winkfield told the tv-station. ”My daughter went into cardiac arrest and died and they brought her back and now she’s brain dead.”

A hospital spokeswoman said in a statement that any surgery is risky and that the hospital would investigate what happened. She didn’t provide details on the surgery.

The family is shocked and says the hospital staff is asking to consider removing the teen from life support.

Family Of Oakland Girl On Life Support Serves Hospital Cease And Desist Letter

OAKLAND (KCBS)— The family of a girl who was declared brain dead at Children’s Hospital Oakland last week has stepped up their fight to keep her on life support.

Relatives of 13-year-old Jahi Mcmathtook their case to a lawyer who served the hospital a cease and desist letter that says the hospital does not have the family’s consent to remove life support without permission.

McMath underwent surgery to remove her tonsils at the Oakland hospital on Monday, December 9th. It was said to have been a routine procedure that was intended to cure a sleep apnea problem. After the surgery, she coughed up blood and went into cardiac arrest.

She was declared brain dead last Thursday, but her mother Nailah Winkfield is not giving up.

“Every time I go in there I let her know I will not let them take you to the coroner’s office Jahi. I won’t, because I believe that she can hear everything that’s going around. If she knew how much media attention she had right now, she’d be so embarrassed because she’s very shy,” Winkfield said.

That's just awful. ;( my daughter had complications while coming out of Anesthesia to have her tonsils and adenoids removed and tubes put in her ears. That had more to do with the scaring in her lungs from when she was a preemie and getting RSV. Nothing like this. Oh I feel so bad for her family. Just tragic.

It's very sad, but it is true. ANY operation is risky. I hope the family is able to get some answers on what went wrong, and I hope the knowledge of what went wrong can be used to prevent it from happening in the future.

I think it is sad they feel pressure from the hospital to take her off of life support.

Quoting Mrs.Kubalabuku:

It's very sad, but it is true. ANY operation is risky. I hope the family is able to get some answers on what went wrong, and I hope the knowledge of what went wrong can be used to prevent it from happening in the future.

How sad:-(. I think the hospital needs to give the family a chance to process everything and give the teen a chance to recover. I know the chance of that is very very slim, but looking online it appears to have happened.

My cousin was 6 when he had an anuerysm at the base of his brain. Despite all the best efforts, he was brain dead. People in a coma you might hold out hope for. Brain death, there really isn't hope.

The saddest thing is, despite the machines keeping her alive, her organs are deteriorating. The hospital feels pressure to get those organs while they can be used to save other lives, but they have to balance that with the family's need to grieve and come to terms. It's a complicated situation.

I remember with my cousin you could see the doctor's pain and hope at the same time. Here he was, telling everyone the harsh realities and seeing our pain. But somewhere in his mind, he also saw the families he could tell "We have the organ, your child might live."

I never want to go through that again, and it wasn't even my decision to make. My heart breaks for them, and there is no wrong or right answer as far as what they choose and when.

Quoting jcrew6:

I think it is sad they feel pressure from the hospital to take her off of life support.

Quoting Mrs.Kubalabuku:

It's very sad, but it is true. ANY operation is risky. I hope the family is able to get some answers on what went wrong, and I hope the knowledge of what went wrong can be used to prevent it from happening in the future.

It's sad they feel that way, but it doesn't mean they are being unduly pressured. It's a stressful time for them and they are understandably emotional, but that means their perceptions are going to be influenced by those factors. (of course the hospital could be pressuring them but they may not be)

Quoting jcrew6:

I think it is sad they feel pressure from the hospital to take her off of life support.

Quoting Mrs.Kubalabuku:

It's very sad, but it is true. ANY operation is risky. I hope the family is able to get some answers on what went wrong, and I hope the knowledge of what went wrong can be used to prevent it from happening in the future.

Send me email updates about messages I've received on the site and the latest news from The CafeMom Team.
By signing up, you certify that you are female and accept the Terms of Service and have read the
Privacy Policy.